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The DA has seen the video of President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the Black Business Council where he chuckles as he jokingly gives details of how he told the Minister of Sports Arts, Culture, Nathi Mthethwa to "cancel" the R22 million giant flag project that has angered South Africans.

It was truly the President's Marie Antoinette moment.

The DA does not see the humorous side of this. What does the President find funny about his Cabinet approving this project?

While President Ramaphosa was joking around in a room full of wealthy business people, millions of South Africans were struggling to put food on their tables.

The DA wonders when the President realised that the R22 million Flag Project was a bad idea. Was it:

• Before or after his party's cabinet unanimously agreed to it?
• After close to R2 million was reportedly spent on a feasibility study? or
• After the DA, civil society, and millions of ordinary South Africans vehemently objected to it?

While the money already spent on flag may not be much to a corrupt ANC poverty cabinet, there are millions of struggling artists and athletes who are ignored by the Department who could use every cent they can get.

The DA calls on the President to tell the nation officially and in no uncertain terms that the vanity project has been cancelled and apologise for being out of touch with the lives of the citizens of this country. The entire Poverty Cabinet must apologise to South Africa for giving a green light to an ill-conceived and wasteful giant flag plan.

As for Minister Mthethwa, he has indicated a total lack of understanding or empathy with the plight of South Africans, he needs to resign. If he doesn’t the President should fire him.

Issued by DA Shadow Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Tsepo Mhlongo MP